Novels & Biogs
A Story Lately Told: Coming of Age in Ireland, London and New York by Angelica Huston
A Story Lately Told: Coming of Age in Ireland, London and New York, is the memoir of actress and iconic face of the 70’s: Anjelica Huston. To celebrate the release, the 62-year-old hosted a special reading and frank Q&A at… Read More
Bonkers, my life in laughs by Jennifer Saunders
I adore Jennifer Saunders, she is forever my hero for writing Absolutely Fabulous and for her Radio 2 Bank Holiday show with Dawn French, which in my opinion should be on every week. She also lived briefly in my road… Read More
Now You See Me by Lesley Glaister
Recommended by the lovely Sam Baker, this is a lean, beautifully written tale of bleakness that I couldn’t put down. Now, I have to dash as I’ve got the rest of Lesley Glaister’s books to read.
Now You See Me… Read More
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
The wonderful India Knight recently tweeted that she loved this, which is enough for us really…but by coincidence I had a copy, so I started to read it and it is indeed fabulous. Pick it up for a great summer… Read More
Giving Up The Ghost by Hilary Mantel
If you are in need of a Hilary fix and have read both Wolf Hall and Bringing Up The Bodies, then try this. Giving Up The Ghost is Hilary’s memoir and it’s a terrific read, the writing just glows with… Read More
The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith
We’re guessing you’ve all heard the news about how this is really JK Rowlings in disguise. Good for her. More excitingly, reviewers gave this terrific write ups before anyone knew who really wrote it and it’s been likened to an… Read More
Indiscretion by Charles Dubow
I loved/hated this book…I found I couldn’t put it down, but got quite cross with the slightly unbelievable way characters were written, loved the pace of it and the setting in The Hamptons, but found the slightly formulaic descriptions (women… Read More
The Folio Society illustrated books
As we see ebook purchases overtake paper books (both in 2011 and 2012) there is a worry that the pile of soon-to-be-read books teetering dangerously on the bedside table will become a thing of the past. But really, this is… Read More
The Crow Road by Iain Banks
We are so very sad to hear about the far too early death of the writer Iain Banks at 59. For those of you who have never read any of Iain Bank’s books, can we suggest you start with The… Read More
The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris by Jenny Colgan
Blimey, what is it with writers and stationery?. No sooner had we put up author Jill Mansell’s post on her stationery loves, when Jenny Colgan asked us on Twitter if she could let us see her stationery too…..how could we… Read More
Don’t Want To Miss A Thing by Jill Mansell
The recent post on pencil cases attracted the attention of TWR readers and super-successful writer Jill Mansell, who explained writers often are obsessed with stationery too…she is, so we couldn’t resist asking her to tell us more….
So Jill, what’s… Read More
Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls, by David Sedaris
Anyone who adores Davis Sedaris as much as me will only need to know that there is a new book out. You can buy it here. I am reading it and it is as hilarious as usual.… Read More
Maggie and Me by Damian Barr
Working class and gay, the founder of the Shoreditch Literary Salon, Damian Barr confesses that Maggie Thatcher is his guilty pleasure in his touching and darkly witty memoir Maggie and Me. The book tells of surviving Thatcher’s Britain, of growing… Read More
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
I was tipped off about this wonderful novel by my friend Shirley and it was every bit as good as she said it would be. It’s an elegantly written tale of a strong minded independent girl -Katherine- who lives in… Read More
Bedsit Disco Queen: How I grew Up and Tried To Be a Popstar by Tracey Thorn
I have always felt if I met Tracey Thorn I could be her friend, as her songs have resonated with me since I heard the Marine Girls, her first band, back in 1982.
Coming from Hatfield, Hertfordshire and feeling like… Read More
Instructions For A Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell
This is the very first Maggie O’ Farrell book I’ve read, and it wont be the last, this is a book I would put into the ‘don’t want the bus/train journey to end because I don’t want to stop reading… Read More
Vanished Years by Rupert Everett
I took Rupert to New York with me recently, he kept me sane through two 8 hour-long-hauls and he did make it FLY. Rupert is an OK actor but a dazzlingly funny, sharply observant writer with a wicked turn in… Read More
Witch Hunt by Syd Moore
Essex girl Syd Moore has written another ghost book (you may remember we reviewed The Drowning Pool) and it’s just as gripping and pace-y as her first. Syd teaches us about the appalling way in which women were treated in… Read More
Valentine Grey by Sandi Toksvig
I get really cross if The News Quiz, chaired by Sandi Toksvig is not on Radio 4 on Friday evenings. When it IS on it really makes my weekend (know I need to get out more) as Toksvig is brilliantly… Read More
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Absolutely everyone I met while on holiday had either read or was reading this book. A page turner that I am right in the middle of, so I can only tell you it’s the story of a wife’s disappearance. It… Read More
I Remember Nothing by Nora Ephron
As I write this I am distraught, Nora Ephron has just died and I can hardly stand the thought of the future without another Nora book to look forward to. This is an utterly selfish thing to admit to, what… Read More
Bring Up The Bodies by Hilary Mantel
It’s here. The long awaited sequel to Wolf Hall, possibly my favourite book of the last few years. I have started it and so far, so fabulous. I hope Hilary has started writing the next one (there must be a… Read More
In A Summer Season by Elizabeth Taylor
We are hugely indebted to Debora Robertson (@lickedspoon) for this suggestion, we are trying to get Debora to write a blog post with her best books suggestions since she is an erudite wizz. I’d never heard of this author before,… Read More
Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes
It’s been a while since I read a book I simply couldn’t put down, but this one restored my faith in the joy of a really good novel. The story of Will Traynor, the master of of the universe who… Read More
London Belongs to Me by Norman Collins
I heard this being reviewed on the Radio 4 book club programme recently, when all the reviewers loved it. I am only half way through it but love it enough to happily recommend you read it too. Fabulous characters, brilliant… Read More
As Always, Julia edited by Joan Reardon
You may have enough cookery books, but do you have enough cookery biographies? They are often JUST as exciting I think, and this compilation of letters between Julia Child (US cooking guru) and Avis Devoto, her literary mentor, during the… Read More
Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? by Jeanette Winterson
Heard this on Radio 4’s Book of the Week. Captivatingly brilliant. We think Winterson is magic.… Read More
Books from Peirene Press
What a joy this little publishing house is, which kindly sent us three of its titles last week to read. Firstly, its an independent publishing house producing interesting European works of literature (not too many of them around). Secondly,… Read More
Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel
Did anyone else see the wonderful Culture Show Special with Hilary Mantel last week? Amazing. We have already read Wolf Hall, which we’re pleased to hear is getting a sequel, but hadn’t read Beyond Black. I am currently half way… Read More
The Drowning Pool by Syd Moore
We met the smart and funny Syd Moore at a Semple’s Secret event where she showed us her Super Strumps. When she said she had a new book out we were keen to read it. She’s a proud Essex Girl… Read More